Definition
Gross Income
Your total pay before any taxes or deductions are taken out.
Gross income is the full amount you earn before anything is withheld: your salary, wages, or business income at face value. It is the number employers quote and lenders often look at.
It is usually noticeably higher than your take-home pay, so it is useful for comparing offers or qualifying for loans, but not for day-to-day budgeting.